Yorkshire's contracted players faced a vigorous and varied four-week programme when they reported back for full-time training at Headingley today in preparation for the new season.

Director of cricket David Byas has worked out a tough schedule which means that as well as the usual indoor nets and fitness work, Yorkshire will also seek help from the RAF, the Army, Leeds United and the Rhinos in sharpening them up for the challenges which lie ahead this summer.

There will be no chance of an extra hour in bed during the present cold mornings because on two days a week the entire squad will be at Headingley by 7.30am for 40 minutes of stiff training before breakfast.

It means that those players living some distance from Leeds - not least Scarborough-based captain Craig White - will be setting their alarm clocks for around 5.30am to make sure they get to work on time.

"I have tried to make sure that there is sufficient in the programme for the players not to become bored by the usual routines of nets and training," said Byas. "By the time we reach April 1 and the start of our pre-season practice games I hope everyone will feel invigorated and will really be enjoying each other's company."

Leeds United manager Kevin Blackwell will give Yorkshire's players a football training session at United's practice grounds at Thorpe Arch and on another occasion they will also be under the command of Rhinos' director of rugby Daryl Powell at Kirkstall.

There will be individual coaching from Kevin Sharp, Steve Oldham and Warwickshire's Trevor Penney - one of the best fielders on the first class circuit has been booked on March 20 to give them fielding instruction at Headingley.

This Friday, Yorkshire will spend a day at RAF Linton-on-Ouse where they will meet up with youngsters and help to forge better relations in the community. They will use football and gym facilities and in the afternoon concentrate on teamwork.

The following Friday, Yorkshire will report to Strensall Barracks at 10pm and spend the weekend under the instruction of Major John Mayo, who will help them to improve leadership and communication skills and to sharpen decision-making qualities while under pressure.

This means the players will not be available to attend the club's annual meeting at Headingley on Saturday, March 12, but Byas will take time away from Strensall to present his report.

Swimming will once again form part of Yorkshire's preparations and they will also listen to what a psychologist has to say about getting into the right mental frame of mind for winning.

Byas said he had been extremely impressed with the attitude of Yorkshire's players during the winter months when all those who were available had attended the voluntary net sessions at Headingley, including the Saturday morning stints which began at 8am, as well as coming in for one-to-one sessions with either Sharp or Oldham.

He was also delighted that new signing David Lucas, a left-arm fast bowler from Nottinghamshire, had settled in well and had missed only one net session when he was unable to make it because of bad weather.

Only five Yorkshire players were absent from Headingley today - England's Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hoggard, who are still resting after the tour of South Africa, Richard Dawson, who is with England A in the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka, and the Aussie pair of Phil Jaques and Ian Harvey, who will be back at the beginning of next month.

Although Darren Lehmann scored a recent century for South Australia after missing Australia's one-day series against New Zealand, he has now reported a neck injury which is almost certain to cause him to miss the Test series between the two countries later this month.

If, as is becoming increasingly likely, Lehmann is not chosen for this summer's Ashes series, he is expected to take a well-earned break from cricket and resume his contract with Yorkshire in 2006.